PASADENA >> The quick thinking of a concerned father coupled with the fast reflexes of Pasadena police officers saved the life of a suicidal young woman who tried to jump from the Colorado Street Bridge Saturday, but was snatched by rescuers as she fell, authorities said.

“We found her sitting on the outer ledge. We talked to her for about two hours,” Mercado said.

As Officer M. Baffigo and Officer M. Armendariz tried to persuade the woman to return to safety through vertical openings in a cement wall lining the bridge, she turned around to face them.

“She leaned back and let go,” Mercado said. “Our officers who were there talking to her and were able to reach out and grab her arms. They held her as the rest of her body fell off the ledge.”

Firefighters, who were already on-scene, rushed into action, he said.

They secured the woman and removed a portion of the metal bridge fencing to pull the woman back onto the bridge, Pasadena Fire Department officials said.

The woman was physically unharmed and taken for psychiatric evaluation.

“Our search and rescue team specializes and trains in these types of rescues hoping we never have to use it,” Pasadena Fire Department spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said. “Unfortunately, we see this situation too often. But the Thanksgiving holiday has new meaning for police and fire knowing they were able to make a difference for a very concerned family.”

Authorities encourage those feeling hopeless or thinking of harming themselves to reach out for available help, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, or www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

Brian Day has covered crime and breaking news for the Southern California News Group since 2007. He’s a graduate of California State University, Fullerton and Cerritos College in Norwalk. He loves dogs and has a pet German shepherd, which in turn, has a pet cat. Brian is a local news junkie, a licensed drone pilot and a part-time science geek with an unfortunate predilection for puns.